The Awakening by Heather Graham Page B

of the paying, tourist-season customers,” Finn said. He sounded all right, he thought. Sincere.
    He was sincere. He wanted out of the shop as fast as sanely possible.
    There were far too many people in the main store area for the space. When they slipped in, Megan was immediately lost to him. He looked around the best he could while being jostled by those anxious to purchase the right little semiprecious gemstones, herbs, oils, books, and curios. The displays were excellent, a rational part of his mind told him. And Morwenna and Joseph knew how to buy for the store. They carried really beautiful pieces, glass and pewter dragons, fairies, and gargoyles. Excellent pieces of sculpture and art. Really fine jewelry, mostly in silver.
    â€œFinn!” He heard Megan calling him from across the store.
    He turned. She was trying on a black cloak. It was gorgeous on her. He hated it.
    â€œWhat do you think?”
    â€œShe’s incredible!” someone else by her side cried out. It was Joseph. Raven black hair queued back as usual. He was tall. Finn was a solid six-three, and Joseph might have been even taller than he was himself. Lean and hard. He didn’t like the guy standing by his wife, admiring her.
    For Christ’s sake, he was getting paranoid! The guy was her cousin’s husband!
    Didn’t matter. Weird guy. He might be into a ménage à trois. Hell, why not, weird good-looking guy with a weirder, voluptuous wife. And Megan. Beautiful blond Megan, a total contrast to all that black, except for the cloak she is wearing . . .
    Don’t be a complete asshole! he warned himself firmly before speaking.
    â€œMegan is always gorgeous!” he called back. He excused himself to the woman at his side bemoaning the cost of a pair of earrings and reached his wife’s side.
    â€œFinn.” Joseph shook his hand. “So—how are you enjoying Salem?”
    â€œIt’s great,” he lied.
    Morwenna slipped from behind the counter to join them, despite the long line. Jamie had come in to man the cash register. She looked anxiously at both of them.
    â€œHeard there was a commotion at the B and B,” she said. Though she looked at her cousin, Finn was certain there was a note of accusation in her voice and that it was meant for him.
    â€œMy God, it is a small town!” Megan said with a sigh. “I had a nightmare and woke up screaming.”
    â€œBizarre,” Joseph said, and his single word seemed like an accusation to Finn as well.
    â€œNo more scary tales late at night for either of us,” Finn forced himself to say lightly. He wasn’t going to take offense—at least he wasn’t going to let them know he was offended.
    â€œI think I should read your palm,” Morwenna told Megan seriously.
    â€œYou all are way too busy in here,” Megan said, and Finn was glad.
    â€œJamie has the register, Joseph can watch the store, and hey! We’ve got a new girl working for us who is great. Actually, she’s not so new, we went to high school together. Sara. She’ll give Finn a reading while I do yours.”
    Megan laughed, shrugging, and looking at Finn. “You did say you were going to have a palm reading.”
    He wanted to protest. No. This was all silly. He had said he was going to do it. Be nice to her weird relatives no matter what. Have a palm reading.
    â€œSure.”
    â€œCall Sara,” Morwenna told Joseph.
    Sara didn’t have to be called. Finn knew that she had to be the woman who emerged from the curtain at the back with another young woman—one with piercings in her brow, her lip, and her nose, who seemed to be mulling over whatever the palm reader had told her as if she had just immersed herself in a serious article in Time magazine.
    Apparently, some people took their palm readings very seriously.
    â€œSee you next week,” the pierced princess told Sara.
    Then he was somewhat unnerved himself when Sara instantly